Note: This article originally appeared in the Winter 2021 edition of 1894: The Alumni Magazine.
Written by Teddy Allen

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) president Max Broussard and National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) president Tyler Ross are two Louisiana Tech students at the forefront of strengthening both professional opportunities and inclusivity for all the campus community.

NABA is in its first year on Tech’s campus and became official just before Thanksgiving break. Its executive board is its founding executive board, led by Ross, a senior accounting major from Frisco, Texas. 

“We have 10 members officially, including the five executive members,” she said. “We have been working hard on recruiting and establishing our foundation and legacy within the College of Business, which is our No. 1 goal.”

The chapter is currently solidifying a partnership with Gleim Accounting Test Prep, the leader in exam prep for accountants in four certifications: Certified Public Accounting, Certified Management Accounting, Certified Internal Auditor, and Enrolled Agent. 

“Through this partnership we will create an executive board position for a ‘Gleim Accounting Campus Representative,’ who will be the leader in educating our members and students on accounting certifications, setting up networking events with professors and accounting professionals, and ultimately helping students earn their own set of study materials,” Ross said.

The partnership could also result in raffle opportunities for exam test prep and workshops for students seeking to earn accounting certifications.

The chapter is also working to build on the College of Business’ existing recruitment network with KPMG, a top accounting firm, both to recruit students through the Tech chapter and to hold specific recruiting events on campus. 

“Our goals are to establish an organization that is not only a networking tool and professional developer for our students and peers,” Ross said, “but also a safe space for all ethnicities within the College of Business.  

“It’s a huge opportunity,” she said, “and a blessing to be a part of this.”

Her vision is that in 10 years, “hopefully sooner, we can come back and see that the amount of Black business students will have skyrocketed at Tech, the number of thriving students will have grown, and peer-to-peer relations will continue to be fostered through a common goal of success,” she said. “I believe that NABA is the start of this. Through our organization, Black business success stories will be told, and students will have both a plethora of internship and job opportunities from companies all over the country and an opportunity to network with professionals who are where they want to be.”

Students in Louisiana Tech’s NABA chapter are supported by their advisor, Dr. Bob Cunningham, a three-time alumnus who returned to Tech in 2018 as an Executive in Residence for the College of Business. For more information about the chapter and how you can take advantage of these opportunities, contact Dr. Cunningham at bcunning@latech.edu.